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loaf
(loʊf)
Word forms: plural loaves, 3rd person singular presenttense loafs, present participle loafing, past tense, past participle loafedlanguage note: The plural form of the noun is loaves. Loafs is the third person singular present tense of the verb.
1. countable noun
A loaf of bread is bread which has been shaped and baked in one piece. It is usually largeenough for more than one person and can be cut into slices.
...a loaf of crusty bread. [+ of]
...freshly baked loaves.
Synonyms: lump, block, cake, cube More Synonyms of loaf
2. verb
If you loaf, you stand or wait in a place, not doing anything interesting or useful.
Soldiers loafed at street corners. [VERB]
Loaf around means the same as loaf.
We had been at Cambridge together, she studying medicine and me loafing around. [VERB PARTICLE]
More Synonyms of loaf
loaf in British English 1
(ləʊf)
nounWord forms: plural loaves (ləʊvz)
1.
a shaped mass of baked bread
2.
any shaped or moulded mass of food, such as cooked meat
3. slang
the head; sense
use your loaf!
Word origin
Old English hlāf; related to Old High German hleib bread, Old Norse hleifr, Latin libum cakeloaf in British English 2
(ləʊf)
verb
1. (intransitive)
to loiter or lounge around in an idle way
2. (transitive; foll by away)
to spend (time) idly
he loafed away his life
Word origin
C19: perhaps back formation from loaferloaf in American English 1
(loʊf)
nounWord forms: plural loaves (loʊvz)
1.
a portion of bread baked in one piece, commonly of oblong shape and in a size convenient for table use
2.
any mass of food shaped somewhat like a loaf of bread and baked
a salmon loaf
3.
lump1 (sense 2) lump1 (sense 2b)
4. British, Slang
head or brain
Word origin
ME lof < OE hlaf, akin to Ger laib, OHG hlaib, ON hleifr, Goth hlaifsloaf in American English 2
(loʊf)
US
verb intransitive
1.
to spend time idly; loiter or lounge about; idle, dawdle, etc.
verb transitive
2.
to spend (time) idly
often with awayWord origin
prob. back-form. < loaferMore idioms containingloaf
half a loaf is better than none
Image ofloaf
© little birdie, Shutterstock
Examples of 'loaf' in a sentenceloaf
In other languagesloaf
British English: loaf /ləʊf/ NOUN
A loaf of bread is bread in a shape that can be cut into slices.
- American English: loaf
- Arabic: رَغِيْفٌ
- Brazilian Portuguese: pão de forma
- Chinese: 一条面包
- Croatian: štruca
- Czech: bochník
- Danish: brød
- Dutch: brood
- European Spanish: hogaza de pan
- Finnish: leipä
- French: pain
- German: Laib
- Greek: φραντζόλα
- Italian: pagnotta
- Japanese: パンのひと塊
- Korean: 덩어리
- Norwegian: brød
- Polish: bochenek
- European Portuguese: pão de forma
- Romanian: franzelă
- Russian: буханка
- Latin American Spanish: barra de pan
- Swedish: limpa
- Thai: ก้อนขนมปัง
- Turkish: somun ekmek
- Ukrainian: паляниця
- Vietnamese: ổ
Chinese translation of 'loaf'
loaf
(ləuf)
Word forms:pl loaves
n (c)
- a loaf (of bread)
一条(條)(面(麵)包)
(yī tiáo (miànbāo))
vi
- (also loaf about, loaf around)
闲(閒)逛
(xiánguàng)use your loaf! (Brit, inf)动(動)动(動)脑(腦)筋！
(dòngdòng nǎojīn!)
1 (noun)
Definition
any shaped or moulded mass of food, such as cooked meat
a loaf of crusty bread
Synonyms
lump
a lump of wood
block
a block of ice
cake
He bought a cake of soap.
cube
slab
slabs of stone
2 (noun)
Definition
the head
(slang) You've got to use your loaf in this game.
Synonyms
head
He was more inclined to use his head.
mind
I'm trying to clear my mind of all this.
sense
When he was younger he had a bit more sense.
common sense
Her mother acted with remarkable common sense.
block (informal)
nous (British, slang)
chump (British, slang)
gumption (British, informal)
He didn't have the gumption to seize the opportunity when it came up.
noddle (informal, mainly British)
1 (verb)
Definition
to loiter or lounge around in an idle way
She studied, and I just loafed around.
Synonyms
idle
He idled the time away in dreamy thought.
hang around
take it easy
lie around
loiter
unemployed young men loitering at the entrance to the factory.
loll
He lolled back in his comfortable chair.
laze
Fred lazed in an easy chair.
lounge around
doss (British, slang)
veg out (slang)
be indolent
2 (verb)
Synonyms
fritter away
waste time
while away
kill time
pass time
Additional synonyms
in the sense of block
Definition
a large solid piece of wood, stone, etc.
a block of ice
Synonyms
piece,
bar,
square,
mass,
cake,
brick,
lump,
chunk,
cube,
hunk,
nugget,
ingot
in the sense of cake
Definition
a flat compact mass of something
He bought a cake of soap.
Synonyms
block,
bar,
slab,
lump,
cube,
loaf,
massin the sense of common sense
Definition
good practical understanding
Her mother acted with remarkable common sense.
Synonyms
good sense,
sound judgment,
level-headedness,
practicality,
prudence,
nous (British, slang),
soundness,
reasonableness,
gumption (British, informal),
horse sense,
native intelligence,
mother wit,
smarts (slang, US),
witSynonyms of 'loaf'
loaf
Explore 'loaf' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of gumption
Definition
common sense or initiative
He didn't have the gumption to seize the opportunity when it came up.
Synonyms
common sense,
sense,
ability,
spirit,
initiative,
enterprise,
wit(s),
savvy (slang),
acumen,
nous (British, slang),
get-up-and-go (informal),
cleverness,
resourcefulness,
shrewdness,
discernment,
sagacity,
horse sense,
astuteness,
mother witin the sense of laze
Definition
to be idle or lazy
Fred lazed in an easy chair.
Synonyms
idle,
lounge,
hang around,
loaf,
stand around,
lollin the sense of loiter
Definition
to stand or wait aimlessly or idly
unemployed young men loitering at the entrance to the factory.
Synonyms
linger,
idle,
loaf,
saunter,
delay,
stroll,
lag,
dally,
loll,
dawdle,
skulk,
dilly-dally (informal),
hang about or around
in the sense of loll
Definition
to lounge in a lazy manner
He lolled back in his comfortable chair.
Synonyms
lounge,
relax,
lean,
slump,
flop,
sprawl,
loaf,
slouch,
recline,
outspan (South Africa)
in the sense of mind
Definition
the part of a person responsible for thought, feelings, and intention
I'm trying to clear my mind of all this.
Synonyms
brain,
head,
imagination,
psyche,
subconsciousin the sense of sense
Definition
sound practical judgment or intelligence
When he was younger he had a bit more sense.
Synonyms
intelligence,
reason,
understanding,
brains (informal),
smarts (slang, US),
judgment,
discrimination,
wisdom,
wit(s),
common sense,
sanity,
sharpness,
tact,
nous (British, slang),
cleverness,
quickness,
discernment,
gumption (British, informal),
sagacity,
clear-headedness,
mother witin the sense of slab
Definition
a broad flat thick piece of wood, stone, or other material
slabs of stone
Synonyms
piece,
slice,
lump,
chunk,
wedge,
hunk,
portion,
nugget,
wodge (British, informal)
- to go clubbing
- to go/come out of the house
- to go/come/run up (to sb)
- to go/come to sb's rescue
- to go crazy
- to go cross-country
- to go cycling
- to god
- to go dancing
- to go deep to run deep
- to go downhill
- to go down like a lead balloon
- (to go) down the drain
- to go down the plughole
- to go down well/badly
- to go down with flu
- to go dutch (on sth)
- to go/eat
- to go fishing
- to go flying
- to go for a brisk walk
- to go for a drive
- to go for a hike
- to go for a jog
- to go for a paddle